The IBA will hold a champions’ night card in Dushanbe, Tajikistan tonight, February 16th. In a twelve-round bout, local star and former IBF 130-pound champion Shavkat Rakhimov faces Eduardo Nuñez from Mexico in an IBF eliminator. Rakhimov lost this title in his last bout against Welsh boxer Joe Cordina in Cardiff, and now will fight to clinch another shot. A professional title fight between two amateur world champions, Russia's Sharabutdin Ataev and Loren Alfonso Domingues, a Cuban fighting out of Azerbaijan will compete for the IBA pro cruiserweight title in a ten-round bout. Ataev and Domingues have a long amatuer history against each other, and this is a rematch following the final of the IBA amateur world championships in Tashkent in May 2023, where Alfonso gave up the crown to Ataev in the finals. They have met three times previously, and the Russian leads in their personal contest with two victories against Alfonso.

 

The card will also feature Mirazizbek Mirzakhalilov from Uzbekistan, who has two professional fights, both wins on home soil. This time he will be challenged abroad, as he meets with Luis Rodrigues Ocaña from Mexico in a ten-round challenge at featherweight. The winner will meet Vsevolod Shumkov from Russia who won his eliminator fight against Saidel Horta from Cuba last weekend in Serpukhov.

 

There will be a junior welterweight fight between Tajikistan’s Bakhodur Usmonov and Chu En Lai from Chinese Taipei.

 

Two six-round bouts between Tajik and Uzbek boxers are scheduled to open the program of the night. Supported by home crowd, Davlat Boltaev faces off against Madiyar Saydrakhimovat cruiserweight, while local boxer Abdumalik Boltaev will challenge Ulugbek Sobirov at light heavyweight.